The Happy Forest

 Oh my goodness how beautiful are these 1968 illustrations by Susan Aspey?!  All pastel blues and pinks and browns.  The stories about the animal characters take place in the Happy Forest, a place where "you just can't help feeling happy while you are there."  There's Tommy the Toad with his pipe, and Chatter the Squirrel who can't seem to keep a secret, and Billie the Beaver who has no inclination to be busy.  Each story even comes with a song!

The Happy Forest

Eric Winstone

illustrated by Susan Aspey 1968

The Sunflower Garden

The Sunflower Garden

Janice May Udry

illustrated by Beatrice Darwin 1969

 Beatrice Darwin's prints accompany this story about a "Algonkian" girl named Pipsa who not only saves her little brother from a snake, but also brings sunflowers to her village.  While Pipsa works hard taking care of her baby brother and helping her mother, her father doesn't seem to notice her.  It's not until she kills a dangerous snake that her father comes to see what has happened and notices the incredible field of sunflowers she has been planting and tending.  Not only does her father tell her he's proud of her, but the whole village praises her for bringing a "new plant and new ideas to her people."

Doctor Squash the Doll Doctor

Recently I went to the Allentown Paper and Book Show which was a treasure trove!  I picked up a few things, one of which was this adorable book.  I had no idea just how cute it was until I got home and read it cover to cover.

Doctor Squash

The Doll Doctor

Margaret Wise Brown

illustrated by J.P. Miller 1952

The dedication makes me think that it was some little girl, who in her playtime with her dolls, came up with Dr. Squash, the doll doctor.  And the story reads very much like the way a child would play.

The dolls have all sorts of ailments,  (the teddy bear gets a nose bleed, the fireman doll needs a splint, the Indian doll fell off his horse into poison ivy, and the poor clown doll has 4 contagious diseases!).   Each time he's called, Doctor Squash comes running and gives them the appropriate treatment.  Then when Doctor Squash himself falls ill, the dolls all do their best to take care of him.

We just love sweet and winsome books like this!  (No surprise it's by Margaret Wise Brown).  If J.P. Miller's illustrations look familiar, it's because he worked for Disney and illustrated many Little Golden Books.  Here's a really interesting bit about him!

Bork

Now that we are a dog family (with Molly our goldendoodle!) I am constantly delighted by dog books!  This one has such simple illustrations but conveys so much about learning to communicate with others (even if it's just through the bark of a dog!)

Bork

Rhys Kitson 2022 

Ameliar-anne and the Green Umbrella

 A sweet antique book with a story that doesn't have anything to do with the rain, but seemed fitting for these rainy Spring days.

Ameliar-anne and the Green Umbrella

Constance Heward

pictures by Susan Beatrice Pearse 1920

Ameliar-anne (who wears her hair in curl rags) gets to go to the tea party that the good-hearted Squire is throwing for the children.  She feels sorry that her siblings can't attend because they all came down with a cold.  So Ameliar-anne has the kind idea of using the big green umbrella to bring home treats.  She's caught and found out by the Squire's mean and cranky sister but in the end the Squire's generosity and Ameliar-anne's big sister thoughtfulness win the day!

Turandot

I recently had the occasion to attend the Met in NYC for the first time.  I think I am becoming an opera lover!  (It all started when I watched this video of Dmitri Hvorostovsky and I was completely smitten!)

The opera we saw performed was "Turandot" and we also just so happen to have a beautifully illustrated book version of it.  The sets and costumes at the Met were spectacular.  The audience literally gasped during the second act when the scenery was revealed (apparently Franco Zeffirelli created this production).  The whole performance was gorgeous.  And of course the Nessun Dorma performed by Roberto Alagna gave me chills.  

Turandot

Marianna Mayer

illustrated by Winslow Pels 1995

The story is a Chinese folk tale about a beautiful princess, Turandot, who refuses to marry.  She sets up a series of riddles for any would be suitors that results in their death should they fail.  Soon the city is decorated with all the failed paramours' heads on pikes and the people are weary of all the death.  Only when a new young prince arrives determines not to fail is Turandot's icy heart finally melted by love.  

Interestingly, Marianna Mayer is the first wife of another author/illustrator that we love- Mercer Mayer.